Why People Become Anorexic

People who suffer from anorexia nervosa are often obsessed with losing weight.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder involving refusal to maintain a minimum healthy weight. An often deadly mental disorder, it affects all ages and sexes, but is most common among adolescent girls. The root causes are unknown.

Cultural Pressures

One of the most widely cited reasons why women and girls develop anorexia is the intense societal pressure to be thin. Indeed, a study by psychologist Sarah Murnen showed that young girls exposed to large numbers of ads depicting very thin models had a lower body image than those who were not exposed to the advertising.

Biological and Family History

Though anorexia is often considered a societal illness, risk factors exist at the family and neurological levels as well. Those with anorexic family members are much more likely to develop the disease than those without. Low levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter implicated in depression, also play a role. These factors lead researchers such as Jeremy Hirst to seek genetic risk factors for the disease.

Personal Risk Factors

Certain personality traits and behaviors are correlated with the development of anorexia. Anxiety disorders, perfectionism, self-injury, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, intense fear of rejection, poor self-image and depression can all contribute to disordered relationships to food and body size.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Anorexia Nervosa
• The Guardian: Emily, her anorexia and me
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Anorexia Nervosa
• USA TODAY: Do thin models warp girls' body image?
• Bryn Mawr: Biological Causes of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa

Resources

• National Alliance on Mental Illness: Anorexia nervosa